Displaying Prices on Items for Sale?

[Dolan Brown]

I'm looking for a good idea for displaying prices of items for sale at Arts/Craft Events like bowls, goblets and similar items that it is not easy to attach a price to. Pens are easy but things like bowls are not so easy. I don't want to attach a stick on price and if you lay a price card in the bowl it falls out when it is picked up so what is the best method?

I'm thinking a little "tent card" would work but have not found a source this yet.

 

[waltben]

Stick on labels are OK for lower priced items, but if you have a group at the same price or a bowl you want over $50 for, try this place for plastic sign stands and print out something with a logo, sign it, and cut it to fit:
http://www.potomacdisplay.com/

 

[Barbara Gill]

I'm looking for a good idea for displaying prices of items for sale at Arts/Craft Events like bowls, goblets and similar items that it is not easy to attach a price to. Pens are easy but things like bowls are not so easy. I don't want to attach a stick on price and if you lay a price card in the bowl it falls out when it is picked up so what is the best method?

I'm thinking a little "tent card" would work but have not found a source this yet.

You have a computer. It is easy to make your own personal tent cards.

 

[john lucas]

It's been a bunch of years since I did shows but I found some stick on labels made by the same people who make post it notes. I place these on the bottom. They were easy to remove which was handy because I kept item numbers on them. I could simply peel the labels off the bottom and stick them to my inventory sheet to show what item sold and how much.

 

[Russ Fairfield]

There is no easy way to do it. When looking at other's displays I have always thought that stick-on labels were best in a flea-market, there was nothing worse than a deiplay cluttered with tags hanging on the ends of strings, and that tent labels or cards in a slotted piece of wood lend an air of class to a display.

I have always used the cards in a slotted holder, or tent labels when I was in a hurry. Yes, there is some having to keep things in order, but that is the price of having an attractive and uncluttered display. My opinion.

 

[robo hippy]

I have a lot of bowls and other items on 8 shelves that go around 3 sides of the booth. I use the small sticky labels on the shelves in front of the bowls. Too many for the tent cards to be practicle. I do stick labels on the bottoms of turned boxes because they get moved around so much, and on the bottoms of my hollowforms. I some times will use the backs of business cards for items that are on a table and don't get moved around much.

robo hippy

 

[Mike Stephens]

You have a computer. It is easy to make your own personal tent cards.

I have never done a show but this is how I would do it.

Good luck.

 

[MichaelMouse]

I have never done a show but this is how I would do it.

Good luck.

From one who has done more than a few shows, there are two pretty important difficulties with this method. First is the wind, which carries cards away even when they are placed inside the work they price. Some places I've been even required marbles in the "look how thin I can do 'em" pieces which never sell well.

Then there's the problem of relying on your prospective customer to put the piece back with its own card. Often there are several people browsing, which includes their fingers, because touch helps sell, and you'd be doing nothing more than re-sorting every time you got a break, which you really don't want, or worse, explaining to someone why the price in front of the item is not the item price.

One thing I have to say for command (socialist) economies; they had no pricing difficulties whatsoever. They printed/stamped/glued the price right on the item at the factory!

 

[Steve Worcester]

here's what I do.
Run some nice lighter wood through a table saw to get a triangle with a face about 1/4" high. Get a small portable labeling machine like a Brother or Dymo that has 1/4" clear tape with black lettering. Cross cut the triangle stock at about 1"-1.5" and then make labels the price you need with a large readable font.
Looks real classy.
Drawback to this method is in an outdoor show that runs more than one day and you tear down at night (mandatory for wood products in the weather thrashed south) you have to match up the prices with the same pieces each morning.

 

[Michael Kuehl]

I use cards (business-card size) held down in front of the piece with light-duty double-sided tape or even masking tape folded back on itself. That way a sticker doesn't mar the finish, and wind doesn't blow the card away.

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

I suppose that those printing their own cards / labels could also print a small picture of the piece on the card. That would make matching up easier and also avoid pricing controversy if things get moved around in the browsing process.

Ed

 

[Joe Gorman]

When I print my business cards on my computer I turn them over and run them through the printer again printing on the back the following:

Item___________________

Wood Species_______________

Price____________________


I then fill it in for each Item... if it is a bowl, goblet , plate or box etc it is laid in or on the item... pens, stoppers keychains etc I se a punch and hread a rubber band back on itself and attach to item.

The purchaser has your business card and the details of the purchase on the same tag.

 

[Gretch Flo]

business card with price

When I print my business cards on my computer I turn them over and run them through the printer again printing on the back the following:

Item___________________

Wood Species_______________

Price____________________


I then fill it in for each Item... if it is a bowl, goblet , plate or box etc it is laid in or on the item... pens, stoppers keychains etc I se a punch and hread a rubber band back on itself and attach to item.

The purchaser has your business card and the details of the purchase on the same tag.

I put my prices on a small sticky on the bottom of the bowl along with ink identification of the wood and where it was obtained. Engrave my name. I have a business card that gives on the back the care of an oil finish. Alot of people buy the wooden items for a gift and I guess they wouldn't want the "giftee" to see the price. Perhaps a small sticky price that can be removed from the card gracefully might obviate this. Gretch

 

[Joe Gorman]

Hey there Gretch.
I hadn't given a thought to buyer passing card on to giftee. Glad you brought it up.

I will change cards and replace price with finish and care instructions and put price on right side of card with a sticky. I don't like to put sticky on turning surface.

Thanks much.

 

[Dolan Brown]

I have decide to try some small tent cards so I bought some Avery Small Tent cards and downloaded their free software. The software allows you to create a database of items so you can print what you want on each card. I printed them today. I like the look of the cards but the wind could be a problem for outside shows.

 

[Zach LaPerriere]

Stick on labels?

Resurrecting an old thread...

I haven't been too happy with the way labels peel off of the bottom of bowls, and I'm wondering if anyone has favorite labels. I have read that a number of turners use Avery labels, and that's what I've tried so far.

I did get a good tip from a gallery with some of my bowls: fold the label over a little before it goes on, so it's easy to remove.

Thanks in advance.

 

[robo hippy]

I have switched to the blue or green painter's tape. I have to hand print the price on them, but the tape sticks to just about everything, it is easy to peel off, and it leaves no residue.

robo hippy

 

[Zach LaPerriere]

Thanks a million, Robo Hippy. I'll try that out.

Blue tape comes in a variety of stickiness, and my first experiment with the blue tape on the stickier end of the spectrum wasn't great—but I didn't have any of less sticky stuff around. But I bet the mid-range sticky and green tape will be great. I'll post back here.

Just a warning too from painting my boat: if blue tape ever gets wet, remove it pretty soon or the adhesive can do strange stuff. Of course bowls for sale shouldn't get wet!

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I have not reread the old thread however in Pharmacy practice we have a little trick to reduce the adhesive on labels to make easier to remove. Reduce the area of adhesion by folding and then reduce the amount of adhesive on the label by sticking to your arm or face (oily) and then removing. You may have to experiment to get the technique down well.

 

[Fred Belknap]

I use the little round stickers that I got at Walmart. I wax my bowls and the stickers peel off pretty easy. I always put the price sticker on the bottom, some woods are photo sensitive and when you remove the sticker there is a light place under it. I tell customers to pick them up to see the price, most people aren't going to buy a bowl without feeling it anyway.

 

[john lucas]

I just look at the customer and the clothes they wear and make up a figure base on what I think their income is. Just kidding of course. I don't recommend the avery labels. They can be hard to remove sometimes. Not always and I don't know why because I tend to use the same finishes. I made custom business cards that folded and had places for species, price, any pertinent information about care etc. When folded there is a hole in the corner so I can tie a ribbon around it to put on pieces. Works well on things that you can tie to. Not so well on bowls and hollow vessels and platters.

 

[Gretch Flo]

How about the use of Goo gone to remove the sticky-I do that for other tags on products I buy.
Have used it on some old bowls I made with old price tags, and no problem with the finish on the bottom recess, Gretch

 

[odie]

I'm not sure of the brand name of the labels I'm using, but they are either Avery, or similar.....just looked, and I must have tossed out the original packaging. I'm using them for an inventory number, and identification of species......no prices.

I usually leave the labels on when the bowl sells, and the customer removes them. I've never heard back with any complaints, but I do know that if you use a fingernail to remove them, sometimes the label slips sideways at the corner, and leaves some of the adhesive residue. After experiencing this a few times, I've learned to use a knife blade, or dental pick to carefully lift the corner, and they come off cleanly.

Robo has a good idea of using the blue painter's tape for this purpose......

ko

 

[Bill Boehme]

How about the use of Goo gone to remove the sticky-I do that for other tags on products I buy.
Have used it on some old bowls I made with old price tags, and no problem with the finish on the bottom recess, Gretch

Goo Gone is great stuff for removing adhesives from glass, ceramics, metal, and plastics, but not good for wood because it will leave a discoloration worse than the adhesive. Goo Gone is basically a light mineral oil (probably mineral spirits as in paint thinner and mineral oil) along with Cyclohexene (an oily substance derived from citrus peelings and fragrance and artificial coloring. Also, it has the potential to damage some finishes such as oil and wax. Try it on some scrap wood before using it to remove adhesive from a turning. Even better is to use something that doesn't leave a residue.

For John Lucas -- I look at their wristwatch and shoes to determine the selling price.

 

[Zach LaPerriere]

I just look at the customer and the clothes they wear and make up a figure base on what I think their income is. Just kidding of course.

Thanks for the laugh! I've never paid much attention to my clothes and a fine turner offered my family a sizable discount several years back when we looked at a huge 14" birch burl salad bowl. We bought the bowl, but didn't accept most of the discount. Too nice of a bowl.

Thanks for the comments, too.

I think part of the problem for my bowls with adhesives has been that I use a walnut oil and wax finish. I tried a few more tapes today, and none stuck firmly for more than a few minutes. Oddly the light adhesive stuck best of the ones I tried today. So far it's been either too much or too little adhesion. Another trip to the hardware store tomorrow...

 

[Gretch Flo]

Goo Gone is great stuff for removing adhesives from glass, ceramics, metal, and plastics, but not good for wood because it will leave a discoloration worse than the adhesive.

I have not appreciated this. Must look more closely. On my stuff I have used rarely, but did look closely and saw no problem. Thanks for the heads up, Gretch

 

[JeffSmith]

There is a whole category of "fugitive" adhesives known in the packaging industry as 'booger glue'. It's the stuff that you often see holding a false cover on a magazine that comes in the mail. You can purchase a box of small 'dots' of booger glue at art supply stores, paper stores or wherever they sell scrapbooking supplies. One brand name is Zots. They come in a roll - just peel off and apply.
For bowls, I always attach a copy of 'Care and Feeding of Wooden Bowls' - a small (2-1/2" square), four page description of how to take care of a bowl that's expected to see usage - it's held to the inside bottom of each bowl with a single spot of booger glue. The price is written on the cover in pencil so they can easily erase it if it's going to be a gift.

 

[odie]

There is a whole category of "fugitive" adhesives known in the packaging industry as 'booger glue'. It's the stuff that you often see holding a false cover on a magazine that comes in the mail. You can purchase a box of small 'dots' of booger glue at art supply stores, paper stores or wherever they sell scrapbooking supplies. One brand name is Zots. They come in a roll - just peel off and apply.
For bowls, I always attach a copy of 'Care and Feeding of Wooden Bowls' - a small (2-1/2" square), four page description of how to take care of a bowl that's expected to see usage - it's held to the inside bottom of each bowl with a single spot of booger glue. The price is written on the cover in pencil so they can easily erase it if it's going to be a gift.

Now that is a different idea.....interesting.

Are these what you're talking about, Jeff?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Glue-Dots-R...hesive-Dots-/121774670956?hash=item1c5a56046c

 

[Bill Boehme]

There is a whole category of "fugitive" adhesives known in the packaging industry as 'booger glue'. It's the stuff that you often see holding a false cover on a magazine that comes in the mail. You can purchase a box of small 'dots' of booger glue at art supply stores, paper stores or wherever they sell scrapbooking supplies. One brand name is Zots. They come in a roll - just peel off and apply...

Great idea. I think that is the ultimate solution to the gummy adhesive problem.

Just wondering ... is this "booger glue" a synthetic product or would the answer be TMI?

 

[JeffSmith]

Just wondering ... is this "booger glue" a synthetic product or would the answer be TMI?

I'm pretty sure it's a synthetic product. I've used it for the past several years at work and on my own pieces. I've never noticed it leaving a residue or effecting the finish on anything, but then it's seldom in my possession for very long after applying the glue.
It's available in different forms - hot melt sticks, liquid and pre-made dots. Seems to me the dots are probably the most benign of the three forms. I've used the 'Zots" brand more often than any others, so my experience is limited to that.

 

[Zach LaPerriere]

Zots are great!

Thanks, Jeff! I ower you own. I tried darn near everything to get a sticker or piece of paper to stay on the bottom of my bowls. Countless different kinds of masking tape, labels, you name it.

But Zots came to the rescue...I oil bowls heavy with walnut oil and buff and wax, and even then Zots stick well but also come off just fine without leaving or taking anything.

For the record, I'm using the medium size (3/8) permanent ones, 300 to a box. My wife just cuts a nice solid piece of card stock, writes the price and bowl reference number, and the Zots synth-booger does the rest.

It was pretty handy at a craft fair. I took the price tag off and stuck it right to my cash box just in case I forgot to right down a sale on my spreadsheet.

 

[Karl Loeblein]

There is a whole category of "fugitive" adhesives known in the packaging industry as 'booger glue'. It's the stuff that you often see holding a false cover on a magazine that comes in the mail. You can purchase a box of small 'dots' of booger glue at art supply stores, paper stores or wherever they sell scrapbooking supplies. One brand name is Zots. They come in a roll - just peel off and apply.
For bowls, I always attach a copy of 'Care and Feeding of Wooden Bowls' - a small (2-1/2" square), four page description of how to take care of a bowl that's expected to see usage - it's held to the inside bottom of each bowl with a single spot of booger glue. The price is written on the cover in pencil so they can easily erase it if it's going to be a gift.

Jeff, Would you mind sharing your "Care and Feeding of Wooden Bowls' directions? I started switching over to an walnut oil finish on many of my bowls, but worry about the finish getting messed up. Also, do you just print these on normal printer paper or something more durable?

 

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

I buy place cards at the local party shop. They are tent shaped and if you put a large spring clip on the back of the card it will not get blown around. You can use the cards many times.

 

[Dave Landers]

Jeff, Would you mind sharing your "Care and Feeding of Wooden Bowls' directions?

I'll share mine:

Utility Bowl Care: Your bowl has been finished with oil. You can use it for just about anything: bread, nuts, popcorn, salad, vegetables, etc.
Wash by hand with mild soap or just warm water. Do not soak in water or wash in the dishwasher.
Do not use in the microwave oven.
Occasionally wipe with oil. I suggest walnut oil or sunflower oil, available in the grocery store.
Some bowls have "worm holes" or other natural features. Be careful with liquids like salad dressing, as it may collect in the holes.

I print them on business cards (I print my business card on the front, and this on the back).

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

I print my own tent cards with one side having a fixed text similar to a business card and the other side having the price, description and serial number.
The pieces all have their unique serial no. on the bottom so when a piece is sold the tent card is marked sold and stored for inventory control at a later date.

 

[William Rogers]

I cut 1 3/4” to 2 1/4” branch pieces and cut an angled slot in them. The picture shows one with a tent tag and one without a tag. They stay in place.

I print my own tags from card stock

 

[robo hippy]

This is an old one.... I have changed a bit. One problem with the peel and stick labels is that they leave residue on the bowl or item. I now use the blue painter's tape. I use scissors to cut to size, and a straight edge looks better than a torn edge... Sharpie pens will write on it fine and don't penetrate through. It will stick to just about anything. When you peel it off, there is no residue. Not really fancy, but it works.

robo hippy

 

[JeffSmith]

Jeff, Would you mind sharing your "Care and Feeding of Wooden Bowls' directions?

I don’t have the file handy on my iPad, but...
Its pretty much the standard stuff - where the wood is sourced, finishes used, how to care for them (wash and dry after use, no dishwashers, refreshing finish) and what to expect as it ages (color changes, nicks, dings, use patina, etc. The back has blanks for species, where harvested, size, finish along with my contact info.
People like to have a story when they spend some money. I always try to give them one. It lets them know they made a great choice. Its setup in InDesign and printed two sided on a laser printer on slightly heavier weight paper. Hand trim and fold. I do them in runs of 50 or 100 when needed.